SKIP TO CONTENT

receptacle

/rɪˈsɛptɪkəl/
/rɪˈsɛptɪkəl/
IPA guide

Other forms: receptacles

A receptacle is a container that's used for holding or storing things. If you are having a party on a rainy day, you can put a receptacle outside your door for your guests' umbrellas.

The noun receptacle means any kind of container. For example, a trash receptacle holds your garbage and a receptacle for loose change can keep you from scattering coins all over your house. In botany, receptacle refers to the part of a stem that holds a plant's organs. The word receptacle comes from the Latin root word receptaculum, which describes a place to receive and store things.

Definitions of receptacle
  1. noun
    a container that is used to put or keep things in
    see moresee less
    types:
    ash-pan
    a receptacle fitted beneath the grate in which ashes collect and are removed
    ashtray
    a receptacle for the ash from smokers' cigars or cigarettes
    beehive, hive
    a man-made receptacle that houses a swarm of bees
    case, compositor's case, typesetter's case
    (printing) the receptacle in which a compositor has his type, which is divided into compartments for the different letters, spaces, or numbers
    cat box
    a receptacle for cat excrement
    catchall
    an enclosure or receptacle for odds and ends
    chamberpot, potty, thunder mug
    a receptacle for urination or defecation in the bedroom
    coin box
    the part of a slot machine that serves as a receptacle for the coins
    dustpan
    a short-handled receptacle into which dust can be swept
    garbage
    a receptacle where waste can be discarded
    hopper
    funnel-shaped receptacle; contents pass by gravity into a receptacle below
    hot-water bag, hot-water bottle
    a stoppered receptacle (usually made of rubber) that is to be filled with hot water and used for warming a bed or parts of the body
    in-basket, in-tray
    a wood or metal receptacle placed on your desk to hold your incoming material
    ossuary
    any receptacle for the burial of human bones
    out-basket, out-tray
    a wood or metal receptacle placed on your desk to hold your outgoing material
    collection plate, plate
    a shallow receptacle for collection in church
    pix, pyx
    any receptacle in which wafers for the Eucharist are kept
    save-all
    a receptacle for catching waste products for further use
    silent butler
    a small receptacle with a handle and a hinged lid; used for collecting crumbs or ashes
    socket
    receptacle where something (a pipe or probe or end of a bone) is inserted
    cuspidor, spittoon
    a receptacle for spit (usually in a public place)
    tidy
    receptacle that holds odds and ends (as sewing materials)
    tray
    an open receptacle for holding or displaying or serving articles or food
    trough
    a long narrow shallow receptacle
    alms dish, alms tray
    a tray for collecting the offering from a congregation
    cafeteria tray
    a tray for carrying your food in a cafeteria
    cheese tray, cheeseboard
    tray on which cheeses are served
    icetray
    a tray for making cubes of ice in a refrigerator
    inkstand
    a tray or stand for writing implements and containers for ink
    cradle, rocker
    a trough that can be rocked back and forth; used by gold miners to shake auriferous earth in water in order to separate the gold
    salver
    a tray (or large plate) for serving food or drinks; usually made of silver
    skep
    a domed beehive made of twisted straw
    tea tray
    a tray that accommodates a tea service
    lazy Susan, turntable
    a revolving tray placed on a dining table
    type of:
    container
    any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another)
  2. noun
    enlarged tip of a stem that bears the floral parts
    see moresee less
    types:
    gynobase
    the enlarged receptacle in which the pistil is borne
    type of:
    plant part, plant structure
    any part of a plant or fungus
  3. noun
    an electrical (or electronic) fitting that is connected to a source of power and equipped to receive an insert
    see moresee less
    types:
    outlet box
    (electricity) receptacle consisting of the metal box designed for connections to a wiring system
    expansion slot, slot
    (computer) a socket in a microcomputer that will accept a plug-in circuit board
    socket
    a receptacle into which an electric device can be inserted
    electric outlet, electric receptacle, electrical outlet, outlet, wall plug, wall socket
    receptacle providing a place in a wiring system where current can be taken to run electrical devices
    electric socket
    a socket into which a lightbulb can be inserted
    point, power point
    a wall socket
    type of:
    fitting
    a small and often standardized accessory to a larger system
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘receptacle'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family